Greater Grace Temple Apostolic Church

Did you miss Greater Grace bringing in 2007?

Watch night 2006 was a special time for Greater Grace. The afternoon between morning service and 9:00 PM seemed to fly by but it was enough for everyone to gather themselves to praise their way into a New Year.

The service started with prayer (of course). That was followed by the praise team doing their final work on 2006. Testimony service was just as moving knowing that just a few hours earlier Mary Humphrey's life was spared as her car caught on fire whiels he drove on the interstate highway. She got out unharmed. That was a time for high praise.We jumped into some preaching and Bishop Wright (via Min. Walker) mapped it out where every minister @ Grace got a chance to share one last word of encourage with the congregation.

Min. Jermaine Donaldson went first with a message entitled "Prove it!" This message talked about how God put Grace through a proving process in 2006. To prove is to search, test, and try. We were tried in the fire... now, in 2007, is the time for us to come out as pure gold! All of the Hell, heartache, and dissapointment that reared it's ugly head in the 2007 was a chance for us to grow up and get our priorities right. Now that we have been proved we can be used. "If you ain't proved it, don't you use it" was the mantra of this message.

Next came Min. Rachel Donaldson. Her massage was simply on fire. It was entitled "Forgetting the Past so I can Focus on the Future."
Phl 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

This message revolved around the fact that if you focus on the things that happened in the past then you can't really prepare yourself to do anything else. She exposed the devil and his trick to keep the minds of the people of God warped. How? She explained that the devil wants us to keep revisiting past dissapointments, let downs, and struggles and never look forward into what is ahead of us. She concluded that now, as we enter 2007, is the time to forgive and forget. This will release you to get everything that God has for you in this year instead of binding you to the frustrations of last year. A new beginning requires a new focus.

We took a break here from the preaching and got some good singing from the Annointed Mass Choir, aka G-TAC. They sang a couple selections. This was enough to get the church to eruption state but we calmed down just in time to hear some more word.

Min. Kevin J Walker preach: "Don't Grow Weary, Grow Grace"
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

A powerful, sober message about the significance of collecting a harvest. Most people are not aware of the energy that is required to -not only sow- BUT to reap. Reap is a complex practice for any crop and it involves serious work. After all the seed that was sown in 2006, Min Walker reminds us to get ready to reap. We have to do all the untangibles to get to the souls that are ready to be grafted into the body of Christ. It is our great commission. Being tired or falling out and fainting will not get it done. This season is too valuable to miss.

Next, Min. Lewis Gray told us: "I Want To Wait 'Til the Midnight Hour!"
He spoke about Paul and Silas triumphant experience while being locked in jail. The special hour in which the jail doors swung open for all the inmates because of the praise that was released. This is a "transitional" period where it is no longer the previous day. Irregardless of the way it appears, it is still the beginning of a new day. So, as 2006 came to a close Min. Gray adjured us to praise God because our day had already changed over and that the daybright was shortly following.

To finallize the year we heard a inspiring testimony from our first lady, Evangelist Josephine Wright then Bishop prayed us into the new year. Shouting, jumping, running, crying, and joy all burst forth as the curtain closed on 2006. God truly moved. Wish you were there.... maybe this year.

posted by jcdonaldson @ 5:31 AM